Super Colossal Review

Release Date: Mar 14, 2006Label: EpicGenres: Instrumental Rock, Guitar Virtuoso, Pop/RockNumber Of Tracks: 13
With Super Colossal Satriani holds his place as one of the most imaginative and inspired minds of his, or any, musical generation.

Super Colossal
Reviewed by:
FacEraser117, on march 27, 2006 8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Sound: This is another great CD from Joe Satriani! Every note he plays just sounds perfect. He gets a great sound with the Peavy JSX amplifires and JS Ibanez guitars he plays. This album is a lot slower than some of his other stuff. It has a very relaxing sound to it. Not every song is slow. There is still a lot of stuff kind of like the older albums. Like his other stuff the album has different kinds material on it. He doesn't just play the same kind of thing over and over again like some other virtuoso guitarists. The drums and bass is as usual very good and flows with the music. One of the songs that stands out from the rest is the song crowd chant. What he does is he plays a short, 5 or 6 second guitar run, and then you hear a crowd chanting or singing what he just played. It is probably one of the best songs on the album. // 10

Lyrics: There are no lyrics on this album. It is just pure guitar. // 10

Overall Impression: This album is very different from all the rest of the albums he has released. My two favorite songs are probably Super Colossal and Crowd Chant. I am a die-hard Joe Satriani fan and have probably all of his CD's including the G3 stuff. I would suggest this album to any fan of Joe Satriani, cool guitar, or who just wants something different. So just go buy this CD right now! // 10

Super Colossal
Reviewed by:
nic_2090, on march 29, 2006 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Sound: 01. Super Colossal - I really like this song. It starts off with an odd groove, but it really has some memorable licks. At about 25 secs. into the song it starts on a really awesome tune. The octaver does give Satch a really huge sound in this song. I'm not too huge on the main theme though.
02. Just Like Lightnin' - this one is really a groove tune. I like the light overdriven guitar tone. The build up riff is great, and I like the way that he throughs off right back into the swinging main riff. The solo's cool, and he makes good use of a wah pedal for sure. I just wish that it had a busier solo. For the song being so relaxed and flowing, he could of used more of a blues influence to play his solo. But, it's still a great song.
03. It's So Good - this is pretty standard Satch stuff. It's a pretty upbeat, but it really doesn't stand out as one of the better tunes on the album. It really just sounds like a jam. The song structure is kind of weak too, but the phrasing is nice.
04. Redshift Riders - this one sounds like it should have been released on Crystal Planet. I love it. The leads are great, and he makes really good use of his trem. It's a really great tune, and there's not too much to pick apart. The solo's great. The intro riff isn't the best, but the song's great.
05. 10 Words - my favorite song off the new album. It's great from beginning to end. It's his slower, emotional song from this album. The riff that starts at 37 secs. into the song is amazing. There's no constructive criticism to give to this song. One of my favorite Satch tuhnes.
06. A Cool New Way - I don't like this song as well. It's not really that memorable. But it's got a really hypnotic feel, and it really is so relaxed. It's got the same effect as Flying in a Blue Dream, as it kind of makes your mind wonder, and you almost drift off, but not quite. The solo is nice too, and I love the bluesy diads.
07. One Robot's Dream - this one is kind of a different song. It's not consistantly great, but it has some moments where it really picks up. However, most of the song has a really lifeless feel. There's also a section where Satch just scrapes the strings (on a clean channel). It's got some interesting phrases, but it doesn't really distinguish itself among the better songs on the album.
08. The Meaning Of Love - well, after the last 2 songs this is a step in the right direction. It's still not up to the high standards of the first few songs, but it has more character then the 2 previous tunes. It doesn't really have much of a theme, but it does have a nice feel, and it really picks up when the solo starts at around 2: 30 into the song.
09. Made Of Tears - Satch really picks things back up with this song. It's really nice. I love the light swing feel that the rhythm gives it. The leads are also really good, and it has a really awesome solo. I love the way Satch plays this one. He chokes up on his notes a bit more, and plays with a little more force then in a lot of his slower songs, and it gives his playing more feeling. It also really builds up, and then fades down well.
10. Theme For A Strange World - I love how this song starts. The feel of the song changes after the leads start, but it gets back on track again. It does change around a lot, but that helps to give it character. The main intro tune is the onlt really memorable riff in the song, but he does re-use it a bit, so that helps to make the song great.
11. Movin' One - wow. This is another really great song. The rhythm adn leads fit together really well. I love the main theme. The solo is great, and really takes the feel of the song and builds on it. There's not much else to say other than that this is one of Satch's best tunes.
12. A Love Eternal - Satch keeps up the hot streak with this song. It's a slower song, but it seems to be thought out a little more than the other slow songs on the album, so it loses the jam feel. At 1:50 it changes tune, and it's absolutely great. And really changes things up at the right time, because the song it starting to get a bit boring at that point, then he brings it back to life. He also does a nice job of pulling it back to the main riff.
13. Crowd Chant - I think Satch needs to lay off the G3 tours, cause this sounds very Vai-ish. Of course that isn't a bad thing. It's a really cool song, and Satch really steps up on this one, and tries something different. It's kind of axperimental at parts. And the theme that starts at 2:03 sounds like something that should be played at an NHL hockey game. I didn't like this one at first, but it's starting to grow on me. The crowd in the background is a little different too, but that's what helps to make it so recognizable. // 9

Overall Impression: While this isn't Joe's best effort to date, he lets his amazing technical abilities take a back seat to his tasteful and thoughtful playing. The result is something a little different, but no less enjoyable than his other more recent studio releases. If you're a Joe Satriani fan, or you like guitar solos that show some feeling, then this album deffinately comes with my recommendation. // 9

Super Colossal
Reviewed by:
Satchafunkilus, on september 30, 2008 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Sound: For the sound this time around, it's pretty off the wall. One minute it's calm and kind of low, the next it's loud or a different style completely. The songs are all pretty good, they have their own styles. The song Just Like Lightnin' has a kind of "funk", upbeat sound to it, it's pretty good. As for styles, I'm sure he used a different style for every song. One song would have a funk sound, the other a kind of experimental sound, while others sounded of hard rock. The sound is nothing short of amazing. // 9

Lyrics: Joe Satriani does not normally sing and this CD is no different, there are no lyrics, it's just amazing guitar playing and cool effects. All though there are no lyrics you can pretty much get all of the feeling and emotion in the song from the guitar playing. // 9

Overall Impression: This album compares to other cds in areas as you wouldn't expect a guitarist to be so diverse, most guitarists have one style such as metal or funk or rock, but Joe Satriani, practically plays every stlye, slow rock, some funk, etc. The most impressive songs on this CD would be; Redshift Riders, Super Colossal, Made of Tears, and Just Like Lightnin', another great song on here that you would most likely enjoy is Theme For A Strange World, it's upbeat, and has amazing effects. If anything happened to this CD I would buy it again. One thing I don't like on this CD is there is no singing, I love instrumental music but once you hear Satch sing you kind of want to hear it more often. All in all it's a very good cd. // 10

Super Colossal
Reviewed by:
TJM2482, on march 28, 2006 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Sound: The sound of the album is overall pretty soft. Theres not much in the terms of hard rock guitar, its more slower songs. The sound is good, but for Joe Satriani, lacks a lot of creativity. I think the only innovation and creativity he used was on the song 'Crowd Chant'. Overall the sound of the album is okay. // 8

Lyrics: There are no lyrics, but his guitar playing speaks for itself. // 10

Overall Impression: People who havnt hear any of Satch's music will enjoy this album, and in some cases, blown away. Those fans of Satch will compare this to 'Strange Beautiful Music' and 'Surfing With The Alien' will see that this album isn't as good. Though listening to the album through, without skipping around, offers a great experiece. I love the feel of the album, though it can be slow and generic at times. The only thing I didn't like was the absence of harder songs like Satch Boogie, Mind Storm, and Seven String. If it were stolen or lost, I might but it again. // 9

Super Colossal
Reviewed by:
frazzledazzle, on april 25, 2006 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Sound: On this record, Satriani's tone is definitly lacking (when compared to other records like Crystal Planet, SBM, and ITLIS?). To me, its sounds like the album was recorded at an extremely low volume, with minimal backing rhythm to give it depth. Either that or it is his new Peavy JSX amps. I'm not sure. But to my ears its not up to snuff. The music is very similar in style to his previous records, almost borrowing the same musical themes/ideas/sounds. Some of the songs are great however. Crowd Chant, with a mutli-voice chorus of satch's friends, is a somewhat different and pleasingly unique approach to Satch's style. Its So Good is another good track. // 6

Lyrics: This time, there are no lyrics. Thank god because Satriani cant sing too well. // 10

Overall Impression: Overall, I was dissappointed with the album. Tone and song quality were the main reasons for this. I am a big Satriani fan, with a capital B. The guitar playing on the album, while in true Satriani fashion, is amazing. However, it is Satriani's creativity and song writing ability that raises him above others such as YJM as a virtuoso. The album lacks any new developments in his style/playing. Without new developments, the album seems monotonous when compared to his earlier stuff. // 7

Super Colossal
Reviewed by:
dogismycopilot, on december 18, 2007 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Sound: 01. Super Colossal - the title basically explains itself. He says that he invisioned seeing a 50ft man walking down the stree, and by god, it does sound impressive. The octave pedal he uses creates this atmosphere where it seems like everything is just incredible in size. Great solo in the center with just the guitar and mad skills.
02. Just Like Lightn'n - this song makes me think of the '50s and '60s. Very few notes here and there in the beginning, and a strong backbone with the drumbeat and bass. Nice display of a deep wah really bring out the vast majority of tones you can obtain with what you have.
03. It's So Good - an amazing song to say the least. Great delay during the song, along with the whammy pedal makeing for some amazing sounds. Think about that perfect day you have dreamed of, this would be the song that is playing is the background. It makes you feel like everything is just so good.
04. Redshift Riderr - this is one of my favorite song on the album. It starts with being very eastern-music like, then drops into a really heavy guitar riff with a subtle lick played over. Great use of pinch harmonics to give that effect of flying through space. The tempo changes up for the solo, and takes on a more easy going riff over the solo.
05. Ten Words - the most warm-hearted song that has ever been played. Every time I listen to this song, it brings back my most happiest memories. This song is very sympathetic, in that it sounds great for all types of occations. Very freedom-fighter sounding. I have played this song many times, and this is the song that sticks in everyones mind when I play through a set. Very heart-warming.
06. A Cool New Way - very jazzy, almost as if you were at a cocktail lounge and the aroma of smoke and alcohol filled the air. Mezmorizing sound with lots of delay, harmonics, and guitaris in the background to make it feel very "whole".
07. One Robots Dream - very unusual song, but you can expect that from an album of Satch's. Very few notes to display what he is feeling, but a few nots go a long way. Very gloomy, and confusing in the matter of anything could come next.
08. The Meaning Of Love - I love the volume swells on this song. He really tries to push the envelope on using the wah pedal through and through. He demostrates a great ability to portray what the meaning of love sounds like. Epic song to say the least.
09. Made Of Tears - cool little bass intro, followed with drums that create this sense of walking down a dark street, taking in a huge city, as if something dreadful has just happened to the world. It encompasses you in this feeling of something looming overhead that is gone unseen.
10. Theme For A Strange World - my god! This is probably the most epic song that I have herd in a while. Very unique use of a lot of the modes. He does quite a lot of string skipping, pinch harmonics, legato, whammy bar usage, and octave changes in this song. Very interesting song, something that you might hear on a distant planet?
11. Movin On - it feels like a new day has dawned, ready for you to explore. The past should not hold you back when you listen to this song. Bigons are bigons and you have everything to lookforward to in the future, and have some fun! Great song, immense that he can use such few notes to display this feeling!
12. A Love Eternal - I don't put this song on that much, it's a little too boring for me. Although it's quiet nice, something that you might dance to at a wedding. Very great "happy" sounding riff.
13. Crowd Chant - haven't you ever wanted to "sing" or rather shout along with what a instrumental guitarist is playing? Well your dreams have come true. This song is incredible; only a few voices multiplied to sound like there are over 300! This is a treat to watch him play at a show, give everyone the feeling of being included. // 10

Lyrics: There are no lyrics, but I belive that the melodies played in these pieces are each so vocal on their own, in that it gives you insite on what Satriani wants to say. One of the most epic, special pieces of musical history. Combining different techniques with amazing playability. Job well done, and another album to go buy and tell your friends about! // 10

Overall Impression: There are no lyrics, but I belive that the melodies played in these pieces are each so vocal on their own, in that it gives you insite on what Satriani wants to say. One of the most epic, special pieces of musical history. Combining different techniques with amazing playability. Job well done, and another album to go buy and tell your friends about! // 10

lol, you lost all my faith in your opinion with the line "i am a die-hard satriani fan". Of course ud love it!!! We wana hear you say "i hate satriani, but this album is so ****ing good it made me carve his name into my forhead with a carving knife", then we know how good the album is lol.

i just bought this cd, and boy, i have to say, i thought surfin with the alien was the best cd he ever made, holy hell, he blew it away with this cd. he has taken so many steps towards this cd, including using new effects like a octave generator for songs like super colossal. and with the new bassist, the soudns just flows with no problems. in this cd, you also get a different varation of tones, from slow, melodic songs, to fast, riff shredding fast songs that blow ur mind. this cd also contains no lyrics, which in my opinion, is better, cause sorry satch, but you dont sing very well, not ur fault, jsut dont do it nemore, stick with what god god gave ya son. but all in all, this cd is great, i recommend this cd to everyone that is a fan of him, vai, or anybody else that just wants a kick*** cd.

Well, I've only heard 3 songs from the album so far, but I enjoyed everys econd of each of them. Ten Words, Crowd Chant and Just Like Lightning blew me away and the sound/tone of each song are extremely alternative to one other. I'm giving this album 10/10/10 and I've only heard three songs (The fcat that I love Satch is neither here nor there) . Plus, I'm going to see him in June. I can't fvckin' wait...

~IbAnEz_GuRu94~ - i think he did the bass on the tracks but will have a new bassist with him on the tours.
But to the album, yeah really really fantastic. some of the songs are so different to what he's done before and he's starting to take his music in different directions (obvously still with lots of cool guitar twidly bits). i'll give it 9/10 i'd say.

Very cool cd, I just bought it and it's awesome, way more different than Surfing with the alien and The Extremist but that's Satch, no doubt you can recognize his stuff, and thank god I got my ticket to see him in Montreal. Every Joe's fan must buy this one. 10/10

Joe Satriani is one of the best guitarists this world will ever see. with as much music as he's produced, not one song from any of his albums is even close to sounding the same. Every song that he creates has it's own unique sound. i'd love to go to the show in Denver but they had to be gay and make it a 21 and over show. I was pissed, other than that, the Satch is the best out there and Super Colossal is increadable.

lol
argh it's really bugging me, the main theme of crowd chant is definately from something im sure... does anyone else think that? I cant quite put my finger on it but I swear I've heard it before...
good album though :]

ok, i don't why everyone is giving this CD so much praise. i've got pretty much most of his CDs, not all, but most and i can deffinatly say this album doesnt come close to any of those CDs. i mean theres some good tracks on this album, but nothing that stands out. i think Satch has really let himself down on this CD.
and Godderz, yeah, its deff from something else. it keeps bugging me.